Art of separating copper from other metals.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. EDISON, 0F LLEWELLYN PARK, WES'I ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

ART OF SEPARATING COPPER FROM OTHER METALS.

. 1T0 Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jam- 4,1913.

Application filed May 9, 1911. Serial No. 626,298.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, THOMAS A. EDIsoN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Llewellyn Park, West Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Separating Copper from other Metals, of which the following is a specification.

In Letters Patent of the United States No. 936,525, dated October'12, 1909,'and Nos. 865,687 and 865,688, dated September 10, 1907, I have described processes for making metallic films or flakes, and particularly films or flakes of metallic nickel for use in the make-up of. the positive electrodes of storage batteries of the Edison type. These processes consist generally in forming composite sheets composed ofalternating layers of electrolytically deposited copper and nickel, cutting up the sheets into strips or other small portions, and dissolving out the copper. In the hereinbefore mentioned Patent No. 865,687, I have described the use of an ammoniacal copper. sulfate solution for dissolving thecopper without affecting v the nickel.

My present invention relates generally to an improved process for separating copper from' another metal or metals associated.

therewith, by dissolving out the copper and leaving the other metal or metals unaffected.

More specifically, my invention relates to an improved process for separating copper and nickel which are associated together in their metallic states, by dissolving out the copper and leaving the'nickel unaffected.

improved process is particularly adapted to the manufacture of films or flakes of metallic nickel for use in the make-up of the positive electrodes of storagebatteries of the Edison type.

I have discovered that metallic copper is readily acted upon by a strong solution of sulfate of ammonia, containing a small quantity of a reducible chlorid such as cupric chlorid; that the rapidity of the action is increased very considerably by In the practice of-my invention as applied",

to the manufacture of films or flakes of metallic nickel, I proceed substantially as follows :Comp'osite sheets each composed of a thin layer of copper and a thin layer of nickel or a number of such layers with copper'and nickel alternating, are prepared by any of the methods described in the hereinbefore mentioned patents, or in any other suitable manner. Each of these sheets is then cut into strips or into small portions corresponding to the size of the flake desired in the manner described in any of the hereinbefore mentioned patents. These strips or other small portions, each consisting of copper and nickel associated together in their metallic states, are then put into a strong solution of sulfate of ammonia containing a small quantity of a reducible chlorid such as cupric chlorid. I have found that excellent results are obtained by using a solution containing 285 grams of ammonium sulfate and 10 grams of cupric chlorid per liter. These proportions may be varied within certain limits. The mixture containing this solution and the strips or other small portions of composite metal is then stirred and heated, and at the same time air is blown into it from any suitable source,

"such as an air compressor. The heating of the solution may be accomplished by heatmg the air before it is forced in, or in any other. suitable manner. The stirring may be accomplished by suitable stirring apparatus,

such as rotating vanes, or by the a r which is forced in, or by both. As a result of the reaction, the copper is separated out as a basic sulfate of copper which is insoluble in the solution used, and which is held in suspension during the stirring. The nickel flake -collects at the bottom of the solution, and the solution together with the suspended basic sulfate may be poured or siphoned off. The basic sulfate is then separated from the solution'by subsidence or filtration.

In, the reaction which takes' place, the cupric chlorid apparently acts merely as a transferring agent for conveying an oxidiz- I moniacal solution of copper sulfate, it is necessary to use a large quantity of free ammonia. The ammonia is expensive and even though it may be recovered afterward from the solution, thesprocess of recovering it requires complicated apparatus and is expensive. Furthermore, the operation of dissolving copper in the ammoniacal solution must be carried on where air can reach the solution to insure the dissolving of the copper. As a result, the solution cannot be heated to hasten the reaction, because, if heated too much ammonia would be driven off. Even when carried on without heating,

2o fumes of ammonia are given off which fill the'building and produce disagreeable and irritating effects. In my improved process, no free ammonia is used, and there are no fumes of ammonia perceptible. In fact, the

solution is slightly acid. Furthermore, in the process employed heretofore, the copper is converted into a soluble salt and its recovery in a useful form 'is expensive. In my improved process the copper is automatically thrown out as an insoluble compound, that is, as a basic copper sulfate, and the'solution can be used continuously by filteringofi the basic salt and adding a quantityof sulfate of ammonia corres end ing to the amount of sulfate removed 1n the per will be thrown down as the'black oxid of copper. My improved process is applicable genorally to the separation of copper from other metals which are not afiected by the treatment hereinbefore described.

Having now described my invention, whatv I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows 1. The proces' of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals' with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, substantially as described.

2. The process of separating metallic copfrom another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution 0 am- 6 monium. sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metalof variable valence, and heating the mixture, substantially as described.

3. The process of separating metalliccopper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, and stirring the mixture, substantially as described.

4. The process of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treatin the associated metals with a solution 0 ammonium sulfate containin a reducible whaloid .of a metal of variab e valence, and

heating and stirring the mixture, substan tially as described.

5. The process of separating metallic cop- 5 per from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, and supplying oxygen containing gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

6. The process of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associatedtherewith, which consists in treatin the associated metals with a solution 0 ammonium sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, and supplying heated oxygen-containing gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

7. The process of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals a solution-10f ammonium sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, and simultaneously stirring, heating, and supplying oxygen-containmg as to the mixture, substantially as descri d.

8. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing a cupric haloid, substantially .as described.

9. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution 'of ammonium sulfate containing a cupric haloid, and heating the mixture, substantially as described.

10. The process of. separating metallic' copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing a cupric haloid, and stirring the mixture, substantially as described.

11. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing a cupric haloid, and heating and stirring the mixture, substantially as described.

12. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with asolution of ammonium plying heated oxygen-containing gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

14. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, -which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate'containing a cupric haloid, and simultaneously stirring, heating, and supplying oxygen-containing gas to the mixture, substantially as escribed.

15. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated-metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, substantially as described.

16. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith; which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, and heating the mixture, substantially as described.

17. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, and stirring the mixture, substantially as described.

18. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, and heating and stirring the mixture, substantially as described.

19. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated there- ,with, which consists in treating the. associated metals-with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, and supplying oxygen-containing gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

20. The processofseparating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, and supplying heated oxygen-containing gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

21. The process. of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with asolution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, and simultaneously stirring, heating, and supplying oxygen-containing gas to the'mixture, substantially as described. 1

22. In a process of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, the conversion of the copper into a basic sulfate of copper, and the subsequent heating of the'basic sulfate of copper in a solution of alkali, whereby black oxid of copper is formed, substantially as described.

'23. The process of separating metallic copper from metallic nickel associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of ammonium sulfate containing cupric chlorid, stirring, heating, and supplying air to the mixture, whereby the copper is converted "into an insoluble salt, and then removing the said salt, substantially as described.

' 24. The process of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution conof reacting with copper in the presence of oxygen to first dissolve the same and then to form an insoluble compound thereof, heating the mixture, and supplying oxygencontaining gas thereto, substantially as described.

26. The process of separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution containing .a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, said solution being capable of reactingwith copper in the presence 0 oxygen to first dissolve the same and then to form an insoluble compound thereof, and stirring, heating, and supplying oxygencontaining gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

27. The process of 'separating metallic copper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of asuitable sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, said solution being capable of reacting with copper in the presence of oxygen to form an insoluble compound of copper, and supplycopper from another metal or metals associated therewith, which consists in treating the associated metals with a solution of a suitable sulfate containing a reducible haloid of a metal of variable valence, said solution being capable of reacting with copper in the presence of oxygen to form an insoluble compound of copper, and stirring, heating, and supplying oxygen-containing gas to the mixture, substantially as described.

This specification signed and witnessed 39 this 1st day of May, 1911.

THOMAS A. EDISON.

Witnesses:

HENRY LANAHAN, ANNA R. KLEHM. 

